Method of aseptically packaging metal containers

ABSTRACT

A method for forming aseptic cans and includes the step of temporarily sealing the containers at the manufacturing site. The temporarily sealed container is then subjected to heat for sterilizing. The container is subsequently filled with a product at the site of the container user.

[2H i 1 I451 m1 Inventor Martin Laapheimer Braunsehwelg. Germany Appl. No. 852.579

Filed Aug. 25, 1969 Patented Aug. I0, 1971 Assignee Schrnalltach-Lnbeca-Werke, A.G.

lranachwelg, Germany Priority Sept. 6, 1968 Germany P 17 92 48M METHOD OF ASEPTICALLY PACKAGING METAL CONTAINERS Field olSearch B t/12,60, 6l 263/2, 4. 5. s2

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 953,143 3/l9l0 l-letchler 263/5 1,622,494 3/ l 927 Cranston 263/4 2,963,389 12/1960 Winkler 263/5 Primary Examiner-John .I. Camby Attorneys-Fred P. Kostka. Joseph E. Kerwin and William A.

Dittmann ABSTRACT: A method for forming aseptic cans and includes the step of temporarily sealing the containers at the manufacturing site. The temporarily sealed container is then subjected to heat for sterilizing. The container is subsequently filled with a product at the site of the container user.

7 Claims, 2 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl. 263/52, 34/ l 2 Int. Cl F27b 9/04,

l l r I J s w e n F 1 l I It i r I; H

PATENTEU AUG 1 0 197a 9 7 PPM? 4/6 7 immmm INVENTOR MARTIN LAUPHEIMER ATT'Y METHOD OF ASEPTICALLY PACKAGING METAL CONTAINERS The present invention relates to a method for aseptic packaging containers having a filling opening, such as beverage cans made from sheet metal.

The use of sheet metal cans for packaging beverages either carbon dioxide containing beverages such as beer, or nongaseous beverages, such as fruit juices, is well known and widely used. The cans, as a rule, are supplied to the manufacturer for filling with one end opened. The cans are generally mechanieally cleaned at the filling plant prior to filling so as to remove any dirt which may have accumulated during the transporting. 'lhe cans are then filled by a filling unit. Thereafter, the cans are immediately scaled, pasteurized, and finally cooled. Depending upon'the kind of beverage and the type of container employed, a number of different filling processes may be used. Only the hot filling process and the cold sterile filling process will be described. To achieve the filling of a can with a sterile content it is necessary that both the cans and the product to be filled in a can be sterile. All the known and commonly employed filling processes have one drawback, namely, that a cumbersome technical and technological preparation is required to assure a truly biologically sterile, i.e. aseptic filling. Also, frequently considerably time is consumed in bringing about truly sterile conditions. It is the modern trend in beverage cans made from sheet metals to make the cans larger to increase content and to equip the container with a dispensing means so that it is possible in this manner to use smaller portions so that it is not necessary to empty the container immediately after opening of the can. Such cans which are useful for home use, in taverns, and on business premises, and may have a content of four liters. As a rule such cans are provided with a filler opening located on the lid which is rigidly attached to the can. The container is filled through this opening and a stopper is inserted therein to provide a hermetic seal. This stopper is generally made from an elastomcric material so that it is possible to insert a dispensing unit therethrough.

However, this type of can must also be subjected to the processing which was outlined above for the smaller cans, which-requires that the can be cleaned prior to filling, the filling of the can, the closing, and pasteurization to protect the can content against spoilage, and, thereafter, cooling of the can.

By the present invention, it is proposed to provide a simplified and more economicalniethod for filling cans having a filler opening. It has been discovered that the mechanical cleaning of the container, which requires considerable equipment and time to comply with the requirement of the biological preparation of the cans to obtain a filling under sterile con ditions, and that the pasteurization both can be eliminated by the use of certain means and equipment if the filler opening are hermetically sealed the containers or cans immediately after the mechanical manufacture and subjected to a thermal treatment. This method guarantees a certain and reliable sterilization of the internal space of the cans or containers at the can manufacturers premises. The can interior remains sterile during the subsequent transportation to the filling plant, so that the cans may without any further treatment, such as mechanical cleansing, filled in a sterile manner and thereafter may be closed immediately upon arrival at filling plant. Another advantage of the method of the invention is that no pasteurizing and cooling is required for the removal of bacteria after the can is closed. The operating time required at the filling plant therefore is shortened, and the operations are greatly simplified.

This procedure according to the invention has the advantage that the filling temperature may be approximately 20 C., so that the costly cooling zone which had to be used as consequence of the prior short time heating is no longer required. Moreover, a warming of the filled cans or containers is no longer required to prevent the condensation of water as occurred heretofore.

An additional characteristic of the invention, is that the sterility'is at its maximum and is assured for all of the cans if the heat treatment, which is in full accord with experiences derived from the beverage biology, is undertaken within a range of temperature between about 80 and 120C.

According to a further characteristic of the invention, the filling opening is initially only closed temporarily, but at the same forming a hermetic seal. This permits the filling plant to open the cans rapidly without considerable effort prior to filling thereof with the beverage.

The can manufacture also eliminates another operation and expense according to another characteristic of the invention by performing the thermal treatment of mechanically manufactured containers when they are finished inside one of the drying stoves which are generally used.

The invention will hereinafter be described with reference to two comparative and schematic drawings illustrated in drawing wherein: Y

FIG. 1 is a schematical illustration of method the individual steps wherein a can with a filler opening is manufactured,

' thereafter filled, and prepared for shipment in accordance with prior art method.

FIG. 2 is a schematical illustration of the method steps used in accordance with the present invention.

As one recognizes from the-sheet of drawings, each one of the diagrams has been divided by a dotted line into two regions. At the left side of the line a, there is illustrated the manufacture of a can or container in which the liquid product is packaged. In the example shown, the can is equipped with a filling hole.

As shown in FIG. I, the can with a filling hole which has been can manufactured completely in the region I is still opened or devoid of an insert is translcrcd to the filling equipment located on the right of the dotted line a. The can at station I is subjected to a mechanical cleaning which in the drawing is an inverted operation and prepares the can for filling. At station 2, the filling itselfis performed and depending upon the kind of container and type of product filled, may be performed in accordance with any one of the methods known in prior art. a

At station 3, the filling hole is closed or sealed by a stopper b. The product is pasteurized in the sealed container at 4, at a temperature of about 60 C. Thereafter, the can at station 5 is cooled to a temperature'about 30 C. At station'6, the containers are dried and at station '7, the treated containers are collected into multiple packs and packaged in cardboard containers or similar units.

The procedure according to the present invention is illustrated in FIG. 2. It is readily apparent the filling steps or stations which are on the right side of the line a result in a lesser number of treatment steps in order to get the same ultimate results.

The can with the open filling hole which leaves the production region i at station it), is closed or sealed at station it in the region of the filling hole by a temporary, but hermetieal seal 0 in the form of a piece of adhesive tape which resists heat, or any equivalent substitution therefore.

The sealed can is again returned in the direction of the arrow d to the manufacturing station where it must pass in the region e into a lacquer drying stove inside which the can is subjected to a thermal treatment. This thermal treatment occurs at a temperature between and I20 C. In the can manufacturing region 12, the can is in a bacteria free state as a result the last thermal treatment.

This bacteria free can is then shipped to the filling plant where, at station l3, after the removal of the temporary closure 0, the can is filled under sterile conditions with the product at a filling temperature of approximately 20 C, and immediately thereafter, at station 14 the can is closed by the stopper b. After insertion of the stopper b, the interior of the can is aseptic and sterile so that it is not necessary to further pasteurize and perform the cooling and drying as required in the method illustrated in FIG. 1. It is only necessary to collect the can at station 15, which serves similar to station 7 of FIG.

I to be assemble the cans into multiple packs for shipment.

I The process according to the invention is not restricted exclusively to beverages of the type mentioned in the preamble, on the contrary, it may be exploited in packaging and canning products into cans which have a filler hole, wherein products shall remain sterile so that they will not spoil.

Also within the framework of the invention, the type of temporary closure is not limited to the platelike shape of the closure 0, but other suitable, temporary closures may be used which are of a proper shape and which will satisfy the requirements of the process, especially, the capacity of withstanding a thermal treatment. Moreover, the process is not restricted to a special shape size or material of packaging container as long as the material from which it is made resists the high temperature used during the process.

Whatl claim is:

l. The method of providing an aseptic container comprising the steps of fabricating a container including a body having a product filling opening, sealing'said product filling opening with a removable seal prior to filling said container, heating said sealed container to a temperature for rendering the interior of the container aseptic prior to transfer for filling with a product.

2. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein said container is heated to a temperature from about to C.

3. The method as defined in claim 2 wherein said container is heated to said temperature in a drying oven.

4. The method as defined in claim 2 wherein said removable seal hermetically seals said container.

5. The invention as defined in claim 4 wherein said seal is formed by a heat resistant adhesive tape.

6. The method as defined in claim 4 including the steps of transferring said container to a filling station, after heating said container, removing said removable seal from said filling opening, filling said container with a product, and reclosing said filling opening with a plug.

7. The method of providing an aseptic container comprising fabricating from a metal container having a product filling opening, hermetically sealing said product filling opening with a removable seal prior to filling said container, heating said sealed container to a temperature for rendering the interior of the container aseptic prior to being filled with a product.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent 2 'RQR' 2m Dated Auqust 104 1971 Inventor(s) ti Laupheimer It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 4 line 13, the comma should be deleted;

line 18, "a" (first occurrence) should be deleted;

-a-should be inserted before-container-.

Signed and sealed this 22nd day of February 1972.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCHER,JR. ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 1M PO-IOSO (10-69] uscOMM-DC GUNS-PS9 1: us. uovznnnzu'r PRINTING cmcr; llla o-aso-su 

1. The method of providing an aseptic container comprising the steps of fabricating a container including a body having a product filling opening, sealing said product filling opening with a removable seal prior to filling said container, heating said sealed container to a temperature for rendering the interior of the container aseptic prior to transfer for filling with a product.
 2. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein said container is heated to a temperature from about 80* to 120* C.
 3. The method as defined in claim 2 wherein said container is heated to said temperature in a drying oven.
 4. The method as defined in claim 2 wherein said removable seal hermetically seals said container.
 5. The invention as defined in claim 4 wherein said seal is formed by a heat resistant adhesive tape.
 6. The method as defined in claim 4 including the steps of transferring said container to a filling station, after heating said container, removing said removable seal from said filling opening, filling said container with a product, and reclosing said filling opening with a plug.
 7. The method of providing an aseptic container comprising fabricating from a metal container having a product filling opening, hermetically sealing said product filling opening with a removable seal prior to filling said container, heating said sealed container to a temperature for rendering the interior of the container aseptic prior to being filled with a product. 